The Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights activist and MSNBC host, slammed the Trump administration’s decision to release the files on Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, calling the move a “desperate” effort to “distract” from the Jeffrey Epstein case.
“We need to be crystal clear on the fact that Trump releasing the MLK assassination files is not about transparency or justice, it’s a desperate attempt to distract people from the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unraveling of his credibility among the MAGA base,” Sharpton said in a statement Monday.
Sharpton derided the administration for using King “as a pawn in a cheap political stunt” and said he stands with the civil rights leader’s children, “in saying that the integrity of Dr. King’s legacy can and will not be weaponized to serve Trump’s cynical agenda.”
The Trump administration released more than 230,000 pages of files online related to King’s assassination, fulfilling a campaign pledge from President Trump over the objections of King’s children.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the documents include details about the FBI’s investigation into King’s killing in 1968, internal memos about the case and details about the pursuit of James Earl Ray, who was convicted of killing the civil rights leader.
Some records had been publicized previously through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. But officials touted that the document dump was the first time they had been made available online with minimal redactions.
The move came as Trump has faced growing calls for transparency in his administration’s handling of the case involving the late disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The enduring Epstein story has marked a rare moment in Trump’s political career when the president finds himself at odds with much of his base.
Sharpton encouraged the American people to recognize the broader context of the documents dump.
“I urge the public to see this for what it is and not fall for the bait and switch. For a man who has complained about the supposed weaponization of the FBI, it has clearly become his weapon of choice,” Sharpton wrote.
“While Trump continues to try to rally his splintering base, we are organizing to defend the things that Dr. King fought to secure — the right to vote, economic justice, fair housing, access to quality education and equal protection under the law for all people.”